As many as 140 of the UK’s grassroots gig venues may have been saved from imminent closure thanks to crowdfunding efforts, although there is still “a mountain to climb” to rescue the country’s live music scene, according to a leading charity.
The #saveourvenues campaign, launched by Music Venue Trust (MVT) in response to the financial pressures heaped upon music venues during the Covid-19 crisis, has so far raised more than £1.5m in donations.
Money has been generated through a series of online crowdfunding campaigns, virtual fundraising gigs and interventions from public bodies such as the London Mayor’s Office and Arts Council England.
It has led to 140 small venues across the UK have being removed from MVT’s “critical list”, although the charity said this was “only a short-term fix” — and warned that more than 400 venues are still at immediate risk of closure.
Mark Davyd, founder and CEO of MVT, said: “This is a good start and we can’t emphasise how grateful we are to those music fans, music industry companies and public organisations who have supported the #saveourvenues campaign so far, but we cannot relax as we still have a mountain to climb to secure the long-term future of this sector.”
Davyd called for more help from music industry companies to “step up and help with donations, alongside real action from government, specifically around rent relief, more financial help and clearer guidance.”
For more information on the #saveourvenues campaign, visit saveourvenues.co.uk. For a list of which London venues are currently crowdfunding to stay afloat, check out our guide.
